


On Your Starks...

by hotchoco195



Series: Stark Raving Mad [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers vs X-men, Cute Hulk-centric games, F/M, Friendly competition, M/M, Old Flames, One Big Happy Family, Picnics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-01-16 13:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1349740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotchoco195/pseuds/hotchoco195
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Professor X and Fury have decided it would benefit both teams if they learn to get along. Unfortunately, Loki's already spent plenty of time with the X-Men and Tony's worried about certain consequences of his actions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Your Starks...

“I hate this.” Tony grumbled.

“Director Fury says it’s good to be able to cooperate with the only other major emergency response team in the area.” Steve glanced at him in the rear-view mirror.

“I still hate it. Doesn’t Fury know I work better alone?”

“Yeah, that superhero team you’re on is all a front.” Clint snorted.

Loki took Tony’s hand in his, squeezing gently. “It will be fine.”

“It will not be fine.” He hissed, thumb rubbing over Loki’s wedding band to comfort himself.

“From what Natasha tells me, Piotr has moved on.”

“Yeah but I bet he still hates me. Him and all his little buddies.”

“Then you’ll just have to try extra hard not to be yourself.” Loki smirked.

They pulled through the gates of Xavier’s school and Tony groaned, hiding his face in Loki’s shoulder. “It’s not too late to turn around.”

“It kinda is.” Steve stopped the car. He and Clint got out and Loki glanced at his husband, the genius staring at the front steps with intense dread.

“Tony, we shall get through this. I am no more popular here than you but if we are to fight beside the X-Men in the field it is better to get this awkwardness out of the way now.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know, it’s just...the last time I came here I broke Colossus’ heart and now we’re asking them to mock-fight us.”

“ _I_ broke his heart, Tony. If anyone should be worried, it’s me.”

“You know I wouldn’t let him hurt you though, right?”

“I know Piotr is not that kind of man.”

“Maybe not him precisely but he’s got resentful teammates.”

“No one is going to injure a guest under the professor’s watch. Now, stop sulking and come on.”

They stepped out as Natasha and Bruce pulled up, the Avengers nodding to each other.

“We ready for this?” Bruce asked.

“It’s not an execution, Big Green. It’s a picnic.” Clint shook his head.

“Yeah but it’s a picnic with games and competitions, and the Other Guy doesn’t like challenges.”

“I’ll keep an eye on you, okay?” Natasha smiled at him.

They headed for the front lawn, Loki choking down horrible flashbacks of his wedding arch (he might not have technically left Piotr at the actual altar but it was still pretty cringeworthy). There was a large group of people ranging from adults to teenagers sitting on blankets, centred around Professor X’s chair. He looked up when he saw them.

“Ah, here are our guests now! Welcome to my school.”

“We’re glad to be here, sir.” Steve stuck his hands in his pockets.

“And we are glad to have you. It is my hope that we’ll be seeing more of each other – though not, obviously, in dire circumstances.”

“It’s always good to have more friends.” Clint looked over the mutants cheerfully.

 Tony couldn’t help it. He was a glutton for punishment or bad vibes or something, never knowing how to do the sensible thing and lay low. His gaze swept the group until he found Colossus. The tall dark man was at the back, sharing a rug with a slender blonde. She was sitting in front of him between his legs, the big Russian’s arms around her waist. Laynia quirked a brow when she saw Natasha, leaning back to whisper to him.

“Please take a seat and make yourselves comfortable. Storm and the children have prepared quite a feast.” Xavier smiled warmly.

Loki of course knew everyone, but most of the others had only met them briefly at the wedding, so there was a quick flurry of introductions. They made a half-circle facing the mutants, Storm handing Steve a couple of plates with a smile.

“Lots of new faces.” He said as they helped themselves to food.

“Yes, we’ve had some roster changes,” the professor replied, “Logan is unfortunately away at present, Jean and Scott…well. But we have new members in Mr Remy LeBeau, Hank McCoy and Miss Darkstar.”

“And you guys have grown up a bit.” Clint smiled at the younger X-Men.

“I don’t know if I should be insulted, Hawkeye.” Bobby smirked at him.

“Probably.” Nat snickered into her cup.

 

Once they’d eaten and exchanged the standard small talk, Steve looked at Professor X. “So you said something about wanting to see how well we mesh as a team.”

“Yes. I thought we could warm up with some baseball, and then perhaps head inside for a Danger Room session.”

“Danger Room!” Tony beamed, “Awesome.”

“Okay. Avengers vs. X-Men?” Steve looked at Storm.

“Sure. Diamond’s over there.”

They shoved the picnic stuff to one side, assembling into their teams. Colossus and Darkstar were talking at the edge of the field. Loki watched as the blonde smiled up at him and Piotr returned it tenfold. The god smirked to himself. Sometimes things turned out alright.

The game started, with a fair amount of trash talk, and within about ten seconds it became apparent baseball’s a slightly different sport when everyone has superpowers. Colossus could slug it out of the garden without even sweating; Steve could round all three bases in one hit. Kitty could run through the fielders trying to tag her. Laynia never struck out, the ball snapping through space to connect with her bat. Clint shook his head.

“It’s one thing being outmatched with my own team, but these guys really make a normal guy feel inferior.”

“You’re not inferior, dude. You’re the best shot in the world – which is why it’s your turn to pitch.” Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Bruce cheered Natasha as she stepped up to bat. "You've got this, babe!"

“How you dealin’ with the American national pastime, Nat?” Clint called with a chuckle.

“Watch out, Barton. I have backup for once.” She winked at Darkstar.

The woman grinned and threw, Nat’s swing connecting. She ran, dodging X-Men and skipping over the bases. Natasha landed on the home plate with both feet, smirking at Clint.

“How does it look like I’m doin’?”

She walked over and kissed Bruce. “Nice work, honey.”

“Thanks. Sure you don’t wanna give it a swing?”

“I’m good.”

She didn’t argue, nodding as she lined up to wait for her turn.

“Dr Banner, may I have a word?”

He glanced at the professor, shifting on the bench to face him. “Sure.”

“You are not participating in the games?”

He twisted his mouth. “It doesn’t always go well when I participate, and I’d hate to wreck your lovely school.”

“They tell me your control is much better than it used to be. You fight beside the Avengers all the time.”

“And I smash a lot of buildings.”

“Can you control that urge as you do the one to smash innocent bystanders?” he raised his brows.

“It’s kind of a compromise that I get to smash something.”

“I understand your fear. It’s good to be cautious, to protect others. But if my team is to assist you they need to be prepared for what that entails. They must understand the novelties and dangers of working with you.”

“And learn not to be afraid.” Bruce snorted self-deprecatingly.

“I think it would help if your alter-ego had some rapport with them, yes, for mutual benefit.”

“I don’t know, Professor. Hulk’s not always easy to calm down once you get him riled up.”

 

Natasha looked over. “You can do it.”

“Hon-”

“Bruce,” she took his hand, “You got this. When do I ever say something I don’t believe?”

He surreptitiously glanced at the professor and leaned in, voice lowered. “I want to but...Nat, if I lose it here there are a lot of people who could get hurt. Kids.”

“Kids with superpowers. Plus you have Tony and Steve to talk you down, and me, and Loki to make sure you don’t make too much mess.”

He glanced at the teams and hung his head, sighing. “Yeah, okay. You made your point.”

“We can play Tickle Monster.” She grinned evilly.

“Not a good idea.” Bruce shook his head.

“What is ‘Tickle Monster’?” Xavier smiled.

“Our favourite Hulk game. Come on Bruce, you know he loves it.”

“Fine. Go divide them into teams.”

She ran off to talk to Steve and he gave the professor an apologetic look. “It’s about to get...really loud.”

“I don’t mind. I shall move out of your way though, I think.”

Bruce walked into the middle of the grass and looked at the clump of heroes talking. Tony and Clint were shepherding the X-Men into three separate groups positioned in a triangle, Steve to one side as referee. Loki stood at the rail by the stairs.

“You are not playing?” Xavier asked.

“Banner’s alter ego and I have history. I generally avoid getting too close, just in case.”

“Are we ready?” Bruce yelled.

“Go for it, Big Green!” Tony waved.

He reached for the anger in his chest and felt himself expanding out, bursting through his shirt, the mindless rage taking over for a second until he clamped down. Hulk roared at the sky, hands clenched as he looked at the people around him. Some of them were watching him fearfully, but he recognised Tony and Steve and Clint and Loki – and Natasha, smiling at him. He grinned back.

“TASHA!”

“We’re gonna play a game, sweetheart. You wanna play with our new friends?”

“GAME!”

“Watch out – Tickle Monster comin’ in!” Clint whooped, zigzagging towards the giant.

Hulk raised his hands defensively, backing up with steps hard enough to make the ground quiver, trying to keep his eyes on the archer. Tony came up on his other side unseen and suddenly jumped, only for the Hulk to turn and point a finger an inch in front of his face.

“DEAD.”

“Damn it!” Tony sulked, hurrying back to his team to tag the next person in.

Clint tried to use the distraction to get closer but Hulk skipped aside, and when the archer slid over the grass he got a huge green finger to the nose.

“DEAD.”

“Shit.” He sighed, heading back to his group.

 

Natasha waved Storm forward. “Have a go.”

The blonde looked sceptical but her eyes went white and her feet left the ground. Hulk frowned in confusion as she hovered near his head, trying to tap her in the air. The wind picked up and he staggered, and then she was on his back tickling his neck and he was laughing in a terrible wheezy rumble, twitching his shoulders to shake her off.

“This is the best thing ever.” Bobby’s lips curled.

“Nat’s team take the lead!” Steve yelled, “Next round.”

Kitty clenched her jaw and ran forward, heading straight for him. Hulk grinned and held out his finger, waiting for her to run into it. She ghosted through, turning solid again when she was right next to him and sticking her fingers under his huge arms. He dissolved into fresh giggles and Tony jammed a fist in the air.

“Yes! Team Iron Man!”

“Question,” Clint scowled at him, “How did you end up on Team Hot Chicks? No offence guys.” He waved a hand at Gambit and Iceman.

“They’re way too young for you, Barton.” Natasha yelled.

“I’m gonna tell Darcy you said that.” Tony chuckled, urging Jubilee forward.

She inched forward, eyes fixed on the huge Avenger. His gaze narrowed, breaths more like snorts, and she froze. Suddenly something colourful exploded over in front of Clint’s group and Hulk gasped, turning to look. Jubilee was on him in a second, tickling tentatively. His eyes were still on the fading sparkles but he twitched and giggled, and she skipped back to Tony’s spot with a high-five from the inventor.

“Looks like my turn.” Colossus kissed Darkstar’s cheek, running in. Storm cheered as he grappled with Hulk.

Laynia stepped closer, arms folded, until she was almost touching Natasha. “So. You arrange a meeting you don’t show up to, and the X-Men just happen to be there.”

The redhead bit her lip. “You’ve had a while to think about this. Coincidence, right?”

“In our lives there is no such thing.”

Nat didn’t do anything obvious like look at Loki, keeping her gaze on Colossus. If Darkstar wanted to accuse her of setting them up, she could go ahead - Nat was guilty as charged. But she doesn’t need Piotr hearing it.

“Thank you.”

She glanced at Darkstar sharply. The blonde raised a brow and Natasha nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Gambit bounded forward, staff in hand, and hit the ground just hard enough to make Hulk sway. He landed on the green man’s back and the giant fell forward on all fours. Gambit attacked his neck and Hulk rolled, the mutant forced to run in place to avoid falling off. But once Hulk was on his back he couldn’t do anything but rock from side to side and kick his legs helplessly. The whole lawn shook, the windows in the house rattling.

“Yours is an interesting choice.” Laynia shot her a look.

Nat shrugged. “He's not boring.”

Steve looked at his score sheet and held up a hand. “So at the moment it’s Tony’s team in third, Nat in second and Clint taking the lead by one.”

“Suck it, Ruski.” The archer stuck his tongue out.

Natasha quirked a brow and walked calmly towards Hulk. He watched her coming, feet shifting nervously, and she stopped in front of him. “Come here, sweetheart.”

He bent down and she kissed his cheek, smirking at Clint.

“Checkmate, Barton.”

“Cheater!”

“You could always try the same trick, but I’m not sure it would go as well.”

*****

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing games either the Avengers or the X-Men used to train, sometimes in mixed teams, sometimes separate. But by the end of it all of them were laughing and getting along, and since that was the whole point Steve had to declare it a job well done as they headed for their cars, the mutants still hovering around them. Loki straggled at the back of the pack, exhausted from a particularly brutal hit during the last game. He found himself next to Piotr and blushed, looking up.

“Hello.”

“Hey Loki.”

“How are you?”

“Good. You?”

“Great.”

He looked at Tony. “You two seem…happy together. More than I expected, anyway.”

“Thank you. You and Laynia seem like a good match.”

“She’s amazing,” he looked at his feet and back up, grinning softly, “I don’t hate you.”

“Oh.” Loki said very quietly.

“After you left I hated Tony, for sure. I hated myself for not seeing it coming. But I never hated you. At first it was cos I was still in love with you, and later I realised you were right. Marrying you would have been a huge mistake. I couldn’t give you what you needed.”

Loki nodded. “I’m grateful for your understanding.”

They stopped, Colossus putting a hand on his shoulder for a second before taking it back. “All the best, Loki.”

“And to you.”

He made his way to the car, climbing in beside Tony. The inventor kissed his head, pulling the god against him, eyes on Colossus. “Everything okay?”

Loki sighed. “Everything is wonderful.”


End file.
